.*..■■■,        .     ■,.  ,  +*f    -    ..-. ■       yr^m 


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• 


DAISY  DALE  STORIES. 


-Bo^W    \\(KW 


BY 


MRS.  MADELINE   LESLIE. 


BOSTON: 
ANDREW    F.    GRAVES, 

20    CORNHILL. 


COPYRIGHT, 
ANDREW    F.   GRAVES, 

1875. 


TO 

MY  YOUNG  FRIENDS 

WHOSE  SMILE  CHEERS  ME  IN  MY  DAILY  WALK, 
ARE  AFFECTIONATELY  INSCRIBED 

By  the  Author. 


JBatmwjJ  of  ify  mrk$. 

LITTLE     DAISY'S     LETTER. 
ANNIE    AND     THE     BEAR. 
PAPA'S    PRESENT. 
THE    NEW    SOCIETY. 
IDA    AND    THE     BEGGAR. 
THE    TWINS. 


CONTENTS 


THE  NEW  SOCIETY.  PAGJS 

Chap.     I.   The  Recess,     ........  11 

Chap.   II.    The  Opponent, 20 

Chap.  III.    The  Sequel, 29 

CHRISTMAS  AND  NEW  YEAR, 35 

JAMIE  AND  HIS  VERSES. 

Chap.     I.   Jamie  and  Rover, 38 

Chap.   II.    Jamie  and  the  Apricot,  ...  48 

THE  LITTLE  SUNBEAM, 61 


V 
\ 


The  New  Society. 


¥l^e   Xew  $odiety. 


THE   RECESS. 

URRAH,  boys !  now  for  the 
new  Constitution.  Honora- 
ble Ned,  I  mean  Edward 
Percy,  has    the  floor.      Lis- 


ten ! 


Half  a  dozen  of  the  oldest  boys 
belonging  to  the  Leicester  Academy 
had  assembled  in  front  of  the  school- 
house  to  settle,  finally,  the  question 
concerning  a  new  anti-tobacco  society, 
and  also  to  choose  officers. 

Edward  Percy,  the  clergyman's  son, 
had  been  active  in  bringing  the  sub- 
(ii) 


DAIST  DALE  STORIES. 


ject  before  the  boys,  and  he  naturally 
aspired  to  being  president  of  the  asso- 
ciation. To  this,  most  of  his  compan- 
ions agreed ;  but  there  were  a  few  in 
the  school,  who,  even  at  this  early  age, 
had  begun  to  smoke  and  chew  the 
poisonous  weed,  and  who,  therefore, 
opposed  with  all  their  strength,  the 
formation  of  an  anti-tobacco  society 
in  the  school. 

Having  given  this  brief  explanation 
of  their  meeting  at  recess,  I  will  re- 
peat the  articles  contained  in  the  new 
Constitution. 

"Firstly,"  read  young  Percy,  hold- 
ing the  open  sheet  before  him,  "  It  is 
resolved  to  have  a  society  to  prevent 

(12) 


THE  NEW  SOCIETY. 


the  use  of  cigars  and  pigtail  in  the 
United  States." 

"Secondly,  It"  — 

u  Stop,  Ned :  hold  on  a  minute,"  cried 
Dexter  Lamson. 

"  Mr.  President,"  exclaimed  another 
voice,  on  a  very  high  key,  "  wouldn't 
it  be  better  to  vote  on  each  article  as 
it  comes  up  ?  " 

*  No,  no !  let's  hear  them  all  first. 
Go  on,  Ned,"  shouted  a  third. 

But  the  president  said  that  Dexter's 
motion  was  in  order ;  and  a  vote  was 
taken  to  the  effect  that  each  resolu- 
tion should  be  accepted  or  refused 
when  read. 

The  first  resolution  having  been  car- 
ried by  a  unanimous  vote,  or  rather 

(13) 


DAISY  DALE  STORIES. 


carried  with  the  amendment  that  the 
use  of  snuff  be  also  included,  they 
proceeded  to  the  second  article. 

"  Secondly,  It  shall  be  the  duty  of 
each  member  to  pay  six  cents  every 
year  into  the  treasury  for  the  purpose 
of  printing  cards  and  tracts  to  aid  the 


cause." 


"I  object  to  that,"  said  Augustus 
Lawrence,  laughing,  u  unless  you 
choose  me  treasurer.  I  should  find  it 
amazingly  handy  to  have  loose  change 
always  at  command."  He  rattled  a 
few  coppers  already  in  his  pocket,  and 
drew  himself  up  with  such  a  self-im- 
portant air,  that  there  was  a  perfect 
roar  of  laughter. 

"  Come,    boys,"    remonstrated     the 


THE  NEW  SOCIETY. 


president, "  we  shall  never  get  on  un- 
less we  attend  to  business." 

"That's  so/'  responded  Julius  Fol- 
som.     "  Go  ahead  to  the  next." 

"Thirdly,  it  is  resolved  that  every- 
one who  joins  this  society  shall  ab- 
stain wholly  from  the  use  of  tobacco 
in  every  form ;  that  he  shall  promise 
never  to  use  a  profane  or  vulgar  ex- 
pression ;  that  he  shall  remember  the 
Sabbath  day,  to  keep  it  holy;  that 
he"  — 

"  Hold  up,  will  yer  ?  "  shouted  Julius. 
u  You're  putting  in  too  much.  I  won't 
join,  if  I've  got  to  tie  myself  up  that 
way." 

"'Tisn't  the  fair  thing,  Ned,"  sug- 
gested Augustus,  trying  to  speak  calm- 
as) 


DAISY  DALE  STORIES. 


ly,  "just  because  you're  the  parson's 
son,  to  tie  us  up  to  being  religious, 
willy,  nilly.  I  put  in  a  protest  to  all 
that  sermon  part." 

"There's  no  sermon  about  it,"  an- 
swered Ned,  his  cheeks  crimsoning: 
"I  thought  you'd  all  like  it.  Of 
course,  we  none  of  us  intend  to  swear, 
nor  break  the  Sabbath ;  and  we  might 
as  well  have  it  in." 

"  I  won't  join,  then." 

"Nor  I." 

"What  do  you  object  to?"  asked 
the  president. 

"  I  agreed  to  join  an  anti-tobacco 
society.  When  I  want  another  consti- 
tution to  keep  me  from  breaking  the 
commandments,  I  shall  take  the  Bible, 

(16) 


i  II  111  b. 


THE  NEW  SOCIETT. 


from  Genesis  to  Revelation.  Those 
are  my  sentiments." 

tt  Good !  good  for  Dexter !  "  shouted 
many  voices. 

At  this  moment  the  school-bell  rang ; 
and  the  boys,  without  another  word, 
hurried  into  their  seats. 

In  the  picture,  you  can  see  President 
Percy  reading  the  fourthly  in  the  new 
Constitution. 

(19) 


DAISY  DALE  STORIES. 


ECAPTTIft   10. 


THE  OPPONENT. 


'MONG  the  opponents  to 
the  new  Society,  there  was 
a  lad  named  Parsons,  son  of 
the  Squire,  the  wealthiest 
man  in  town.  George  Parsons  was 
brought  up  to  like  tobacco.  When 
not  more  than  ten  years  old,  his 
father  gave  him  the  stump  of  a  cigar, 
laughing  when  the  boy  complained  of 
being  sick  and  giddy  in  consequence 
of  smoking.  From  the  stump;  George 
had  soon  been  promoted  to  a  free  use 
of  his  father's  Havanas ;  and,  before 
he  was  fourteen,  he  could  smoke  a  ci- 
(20) 


THE  NEW  SOCIETT. 


gar  after  every  meal,  with  as  much 
ease  as  the  Squire. 

George's  influence  had  done  more 
in  the  school  to  cause  the  boys  to. 
chew  and  smoke  tobacco,  than  every 
thing  else.  Edward  Percy  longed  to 
bring  George  to  join  their  Society, 
knowing  that  his  example  would  be 
followed  by  many  who  loved  the  vile 
weed. 

They  were  in  the  same  class,  and  in 
many  things  their  tastes  were  conge- 
nial. Ned  had  already  urged  his  friend 
to  join  him  in  checking  the  evil ;  but 
George  didn't  see  the  subject  in  that 
light. 

One  day  Ned  invited  George  to  his 
father's  house.     They  walked  out  into 

(21) 


DAISY  DALE  STORIES, 


the  grounds;  and  there,  under  the 
shade  of  an  old  tree,  he  talked  and 
talked  upon  his  favorite  theme. 

In  the  picture  you  will  see  them 
there. 

"It  hasn't  hurt  my  father/'  urged 
George  :  a  there  isn't  a  healthier  man 
in  town." 

"But  has  it  done  him  any  good?' 
asked  Ned.  "  I  don't  mean  any  disre- 
spect; but  would  you  like  to  have 
your  teeth  look  like  his  ?  You  have  a 
handsome  set,  George ;  and,  if  I  were 
you,  I  should  hate  to  have  tobacco- 
juice  stain  them,  and  run  out  of  your 
mouth." 

"I  never  thought  of  that,"  mur- 
mured George,  reflecting. 

(24) 


THE  NEW  SOCIETY. 


"You  acknowledged  once/'  urged 
his  friend,  *  that  chewing  and  smoking 
made  you  terribly  thirsty.  Aren't  you 
afraid,  if  you  don't  give  up  tobacco, 
you'll  become  a  drunkard  ?  " 

"  Not  a  bit.  My  father  has  chewed 
for  forty  years ;  and  he's  as  steady  as 
your  father,  if  he  is  a  parson." 

u  Not  quite,"  thought  Edward,  recol- 
lecting the  Squire's  reeling  steps  the 
last  time  he  had  seen  him;  but  he 
could  not  tell  his  friend  this,  and  there- 
fore said,  — 

"  Well,  cigars  and  good  tobacco  cost 
so  much,  quite  a  little  fortune  in  time. 
Think  how  much  you  might  do  with 
the  money  you  chew  up  !  " 

a  Well,  my  father  has  enough.     No," 

(25) 


DAIST  DALE   STORIES. 


said  George,  "  I  can't  sign ;  there's  no 
use  in  talking  any  more  about  it." 

But  though  George  would  not  join 
the  "No  Tobacco  Society/'  it  soon 
became  very  popular.  A  gentleman 
came  to  visit  the  minister,  and  was 
invited  to  talk  to  the  Sunday  School 
children.  He  told  them  stories  of  boys 
who  lighted  the  streets  puffing  away 
at  their  vile  cigars,  but  had  no  pay  for 
it,  and  no  thanks  either  from  young 
ladies  who  went  out  to  breathe  the 
fresh  air,  and  smell  the  fragrant  flow- 
ers, but  who  had  to  inhale  instead  the 
foul  tobacco  smoke.  Then  he  said, 
"Since  I  came  to  this  town  I  have 
heard  of  a  noble  society,  called  the 
'No   Tobacco   Boys.'    I  was   delighted 

(26) 


THE  NEW  SOCIETY. 


to  know  that  some  boys  are  pledging 
themselves  not  to  use  the  vile  weed. 
I  thank  them  for  setting  such  a  wor- 
thy example.  I  would  gladly  shake 
hands  with  every  one  of  them.  I 
shall  tell  of  this  new  society  wherever 
I  am  called  to  speak  to  boys;  and  I 
hope  every  city  and  every  town  in 
our  happy  New  England  will  form 
clubs  called  '  No  Tobacco  Boys.'" 

In  September,  a  "lady  named  Clem- 
ent, wTho  had  formerly  lived  in  the 
town,  returned  with  her  husband  for 
a  visit.  She  soon  heard  about  the 
"  No  Tobacco  Boys/'  and  said  her  little 
Arthur  must  join. 

The  next  week  tiny  notes  of  invi- 
tation  were    sent    to    every   member 

(27) 


DAI  ST  DALE   STORIES. 


of  the  society.  I  will  copy  one  of 
them. 

"Arthur  Clement,  Jr.,  receives  the 
members  of  his  club,  called  'No  To- 
bacco Boys/  on  Wednesday  afternoon, 
at  Reed's  Grove.  A  collation  will  be 
served  at  five  o'clock.  Every  mem- 
ber is  at  liberty  to  invite  one  lady 
to  accompany  him.  Mottoes,  badges 
and  a  banner  will  be  presented  at  the 
entrance  to  the  grove  at  two  o'clock, 
precisely." 

"0,  dear!"  exclaimed  George  Par- 
sons, as  he  watched  the  procession 
marching  back  from  the  grove  at  sun- 
set, the  banner  flying,  "I  made  an 
awful  mistake  in  refusing  to  join ;  but 
it's  too  late  nowl 

(28) 


THE  NEW  SOCIETT. 


€Ag»TIR    ODD. 
THE  SEQUEL. 

IVE,  six  years  glided  by. 
The  Squire  was  lying  in 
a  drunkard's  grave.  His 
houses  and  lands  had  been 
sold  for  the  benefit  of  his  creditors. 
The  grocer  at  the  corner,  who  had  a 
private  bar  where  his  friends  could 
obtain  a  social  glass  at  any  hour  of 
the  day  or  night,  had  come  into  pos- 
session of  the  handsome  house  where 
George  had  first  seen  the  light,  and 
where,  alas!  he  had  learned  to  chew 
and  smoke  tobacco. 

(29) 


DAISY  DALE   STORIES. 


Mrs.  Parsons,  the  Squire's  broken- 
hearted wife,  had  accepted  a  home 
with  her  uncle;  and  her  daughter, 
careworn  and  dejected,  hired  a  small 
tenement  which  she  shared  with  her 
brother. 

Edward  Percy,  a  thriving  merchant 
in  a  neighboring  city,  was  one  night 
walking  from  the  cars  to  his  father's 
house,  when  he  stumbled  against  a 
man  who  was  trying  to  support  him- 
self by  leaning  on  the  wall. 

The  man  fell ;  and  then  young  Per- 
cy, in  trying  to  help  him  up,  found 
it  was  his  old  companion,  George  Par- 
sons, who  was  intoxicated. 

Edward  was  greatly  shocked.  lie 
called  a  carriage,  and,  with  the  driver's 

(30) 


THE  NEW  SOCIETY. 


help,  pushed  George  inside,  and  drove 
him  to  his  humble  home. 

He  visited  him  many  times  during 
a  fit  of  sickness  which  confined  the 
drunken  creature  to  his  bed  for  weeks, 
and  at  last  was  rejoiced  to  receive  a 
promise  from  the  poor  fellow  to  give 
up  all  intoxicating  drink,  to  abandon 
the  use  of  tobacco,  and  to  try  to  be- 
come a  man  once  more. 

You  will  see  in  the  picture  how  ear- 
nestly Mr.  Edward  Percy  is  encoura- 
ging his  old  schoolmate,  while  his  sister 
stands  by,  urging,  — 

u  0  George,  if  you  will  only  leave 
off  all  that  nasty  stuff,  how  happy  we 
might  be  ! " 

"  I  will ;  I'll  try,"  faltered  George, 
Can 


DAIST  DALE   STORIES. 


sitting  on  the  side  of  the  low  bed ;  but 
I  can't  help  thinking  how  much  easier 
it  would  have  been  if  I'd  done  it  when 
you  asked  me  to  join  the  anti-tobacco 
society,  years  ago." 

"  I  should  like  to  shake  hands  with 
you  on  your  new  promise/'  exclaimed 
Ned. 

(34) 


THE  NEW  SOCIETT, 


Christmas  and  $tew-f  #an 

"  There,  that  will  do  :  look,  Frankie  dear, 

How  nice  I've  packed  this  box ; 
But  something  still  will  go  in  here ; 

Then  see  how  well  it  looks  ! 
'Twill  be  the  sweetest  gift  for  Jane, 

And  from  us  both,  you  know  : 
She'll  value  it,  although  'tis  plain  ; 

So  this  to  her  must  go. 

Yes,  William,  yes ;  and  Sue  has  done 

The  dressing  Kitty's  doll. 
Now  for  a  name  :  we'll  hit  on  one  ; 

Let's  call  her  pretty  Poll. 
For  with  that  dress  so  brightly  green, 

And  with  those  rosy  cheeks, 
To  look  at  her  does  it  not  seem 

That,  parrot-like,  she  speaks? 
(35) 


DAISY  DALE   STORIES. 


Now,  Frankie  dear,  come  let  us  fill 

These  horns  with  sugar-plums 
For  Sam  and  James,  and,  if  you  will, 

Give  them  the  little  drums ; 
Or  I  will  do  it  while  you  write 

The  names  within  these  books. 
We  must  make  haste,  'twill  soon  be  night 

See  how  our  table  looks  ! 

And  now,  dear  Bill,  don't  tell,  I  beg : 

/would  not,  but  I  thought 
You'd  like  to  see  this  book  to-day, 

And  knew  where  it  was  bought. 
The  '  Mother's  book'  for  dear  mamma  : 

I  knew  you'd  like  one,  too, 
For  your  dear  mother  ;  so  papa 

Paid  gladly  for  the  two. 

Oh,  thank  you,  Frankie  !     After  all, 
At  Christmas  and  New- Year, 

m 


THE  NEW  SOCIETT. 


The  sweetest  gifts  for  great  and  small 
Are  books,  'tis  very  clear ; 

For  they  alone  speak  to  the  heart, 
And  they  enrich  the  mind ; 

While  pleasure,  also,  they  impart, 
We  ne'er  in  trifles  find." 
(37) 


DAISY  DALE   STORIES. 


$amis  and  bis  ^srses* 

JAMIE  AND   ROVER. 

AMMA,  mamma  !  I  can 
say  my  verses  now.     I've 
studied   them  as  much  as 
a  thousand   times.     Won't 
you  please  to  hear  me  ?  * 
66  A  thousand  times,  Jamie  ?  " 
Mamma   stood  still,  and  looked  in 
Jamie's  eye. 

"  I  mean  I've  studied  them  a  great, 
great  many  times;  and  I  am  as  sure 
as  can  be,  that  I  can  repeat  them  with- 
out missing  one  word." 

(38) 


THE  NEW  SOCIETY. 


"  Come,  then,  I'll  hear  you." 

"  In  the  parlor,  mamma  ?  " 

u  No,  dear :  I've  carried  my  books 
and  work  to  the  arbor." 

"  Oh,  that's  splendid ! " 

Jamie  started  to  follow  his  mother, 
when  he  heard  a  low  whine  from 
Eover. 

."  Oh  !  you're  on  hand,  are  you  ?  "  he 
said,  laughing,  and  patting  the  dog's 
head.  "  Well,  Rover,  good  fellow ! 
I'm  going  to  recite  my  verses,  and  you 
may  go  too." 

"  Bow,  wow,  wow !  "  answered  Ro- 
ver.    "  I'm  ready,  dear  master." 

When  Jamie  and  the  dog  reached 

*       the  arbor,  mamma  was  busily  sewing 

on  an  apron  for  baby  Nell  \  but  she 

(39) 


DAISY  DALE   STORIES. 


laid  the  work  aside,  and  took  the 
large  Bible  from  a  shelf  papa  had 
nailed  up  for  her  in  her  favorite  re- 
treat. 

Jamie  looked  in  her  face,  and  re- 
peated the  verses  correctly  ;  and  then 
she  explained  the  meaning  to  him  in 
such  simple  words,  that  he  understood 
her  perfectly.  Eover  sat  in  front  of 
his  young  master,  looking  as  if  he, 
too,  would  like  to  understand. 

"  Now  may  I  play,  mamma  ?  "  asked 
Jamie,  starting  to  his  feet. 

"  Yes,  dear ;  but,  first,  I  want  you  to 
promise  me  to  say  exactly  what -you 
mean.  How  many  times  did  you  study 
your  lesson  ?  " 

"  Ever  so  many,  mamma." 

(42) 


THE  NEW  SOCIETY. 


"Say  'ever  so  many/  then,  dear, 
and  do  not  say  '  a  thousand.'  In  that 
case,  every  one  will  know  just  what 
you  mean." 

"  So  I  will,  mamma ; "  and  Jamie 
kissed  his  mother  with  his  red  lips,  and, 
calling  Rover,  bounded  off  into  the 
garden  to  play. 

There  were  gravel-walks  running 
the  whole  length  of  the  garden,  lined 
by  rows  of  currant-bushes.  At  right 
angles  with  the  main  walks  were  nar- 
row ones  bordered  with  high  trellises, 
upon  which  the  gardener  had  trained 
peach  and  apricot  trees.  These  were 
trimmed,  and  tied  to  the  trellises  in  the 
form  of  a  fan,  in  order  that  the  fruit 
might  have  the  full  force  of  the  sun  to 

(43) 


DA/ST  DALE   STORIES. 


ripen  it.  But  the  trees  stood  so  close 
together,  and  were  so  thickly  covered 
with  foliage,  that  it  was  impossible  to 
see  across  the  garden. 

Of  course  there  was  many  a  shady 
corner  where  Jamie  could  conceal  him- 
self from  mamma  and  Rover ;  and 
many  a  frolic  the  boy  had  enjoyed 
playing  hide-and-seek  in  the  garden. 

Now,  wrhen  released  by  his  mamma, 
he  ran  merrily  down  the  centre  walk, 
Rover  keeping  close  at  his  heels,  and 
barking  with  all  his  might.  Rover 
very  well  knew  that  lessons  were  over 
for  the  day,  and  that  now  they  were  to 
have  a  frolic. 

In  turning  an  angle  at  the  lower 
part    of    the    grounds,    Jamie    came 

(44) 


THE  NEW  SOCIETY. 


suddenly  upon  old  Gilson,  the  gar- 
dener. 

*  Hi,  Master  Jamie  ! "  he  exclaimed, 
in  his  broad  Scotch  accents.  "  Ye're  as 
full  of  life  as  a  nut  is  of  meat.  Ye 
came  nigh  to  knocking  me  over." 

Gilson  was  drawing  a  small  engine 
with  which  he  watered  the  plants ;  and 
Jamie  laughed  heartily  at  the  idea  of 
knocking  over  such  a  stout  man. 

"  Look  here,  Master  .Jamie  ! "  began 
the  Scotchman  in  a  mysterious  tone,  at 
the  same  time  taking  a  red-cheeked 
apricot  from  his  pocket.  "Isn't  it  a 
beauty?  I've  been  watching  it  day 
after  day  to  see  the  sun  paint  its  cheeks 
so  prettily.     Now  I'm  taking  it  to  your 


mamma." 


(45) 


DAISY  DALE   STORIES. 


"  Oh !  oh ! "  exclaimed  the  boy,  stand- 
ing on  tiptoe  to  gaze  at  the  fruit.  "  Oh ! 
doesn't  it  look  like  wax  ?  I  do  like  ap- 
ricots so  much ! " 

"  The  trees  hang  full  this  year,"  said 
Gilson,  in  a  self-complacent  tone. 
"  They're  ripening  fast  too.  In  a  week 
more  we'll  have  a  dishful  that  would 
be  fit  to  set  before  a  queen." 

Jamie's  cheeks  flushed ;  and  he 
started  to  run  away,  when  Gilson,  with 
a  sudden  thought,  called  after  him. 

"  Ye  wouldn't  be  forgetting,  Master 
Jamie,  that  yer  mamma  doesn't  like 
ye  to  touch  the  fruit  without  leave  ?  " 

"  I'm  afraid  for  him,"  murmured  the 
old  man,  stopping  a  minute  to  gaze 
after  the  lad.     "  He's  running  right  in 

(46) 


THE  NEW  SOCIETT. 


the  way  o'  temptation,  just  as  Eve  did ; 
and  them  apricots  are  as  nigh  to  the 
fruit  on  the  forbidden  tree  as  any  thing 
in  nater  can  be.  When  he  sees  how 
pleasant  they  are  to  the  eyes,  I'm 
afraid  he'll  give  heed  to  the  cunning 
whispers  of  the  serpent,  as  our  first 
mother  did." 

Gilson  wrapped  the  apricot  care- 
fully hi  the  cotton  again,  and  laid  it  in 
his  deep  breast-pocket,  then  started  for 
the  other  part  of  the  garden,  comfort- 
ing himself  with  the  thought,  — 

"  Well,  if  his  mamma  isn't  there  to 
watch  her  boy,  God  is ;  and  he'll  re- 
member the  prayers  that  are  offered 
up  for  the  child." 

(47) 


DAIST  DALE   STORIES. 


eMAPTTIR    BO. 

JAMIE  AND  THE  ArRICOT. 

AMIE  ran  down  to  the  end 
of  the  walk,  and  then  turned 
suddenly  in  the  direction  of 
the  apricots.  He  didn't  stop 
to  consider  what  he  would  do.  He 
only  wanted  to  get  out  of  sight  of 
Gilson,  and  see  whether  there  were  any 
more  as  ripe  as  the  one  the  Scotchman 
was  carrying  to  mamma. 

He  soon  reached  the .  place,  when 
Rover  gave  a  loud,  joyful  bark.  What 
made  Jamie  try  to  quiet  him  so  quick- 

"  Hush,  hush,  Rover  !     Don't  make 

(48) 


THE  NEW  SOCIETT. 


such  a  noise  ! "  And  what  made  him 
look  up  and  down  the  walks  to  see 
whether  anybody  was  in  sight  ?  A  few 
moments  before,  he  had  not  been  afraid 
to  meet  any  one. 

'*  Oh,  oh  !  don't  they  look  nice  ?  "  he 
said  softly  to  himself.  "They  make 
my  mouth  water.  There's  one  on  that 
lowest  branch.  I'm  sure  that  is  ripe. 
I'll  just  feel  of  it.  Why,  how  easy  it 
came  off!  I  didn't  think  it  would  drop 
so  quick.  Oh,  my !  how  sour  and  hard 
it  is!  I'm  sorry  I  came  here.  I 
thought  it  would  be  very  sweet." 

Just  under  the  tree,  he  presently 
saw  another  apricot  looking  very  mel- 
low. It  was  inside  the  trellis ;  and  he 
had  to  work  some  time  with   a  stick 

(49) 


DAISY  DALE   STORIES. 


before  he  could  reach  it.  At  last  he 
had  it  in  his  hand,  and  found  it  was 
quite  soft  On  one  side  there  was  a 
small  hole,  where  an  insect  had  eaten 
to  the  stone ;  and  this  had  caused  it 
to  fall  from  the  branch. 

Jamie  put  it  to  his  mouth,  rejoicing 
that  no  one  was  in  sight ;  when,  sud- 
denly, he  let  the  rich,  juicy  fruit,  only 
half  eaten,  drop  to  the  ground.  He 
thought  he  heard  a  voice  behind  him 
saying,  "  Thou,  God,  seest  me." 

This  was  one  of  the  verses  he  had 
learned  that  morning,  and  which  his 
kind  mamma  had  explained  to  him. 
She  told  him  how  good  God  was,  and 
how  tenderly  he  watches  over  all  his 
creatures  to  shield  them  from  harm; 

(50) 


THE  NEW  SOCIETT. 


that  if  his  eye  should  leave  them  for 
one  minute,  or  his  protecting  care  be 
withdrawn,  they  would  die. 

She  told  him  also  that  no  one  could 
do  a  wrong  act  without  God  seeing  it, 
and  being  displeased ;  and  now  Ja- 
mie's heart  beat  sadly  as  he  remem- 
bered that  God  had  been  with  him  be- 
hind the  trellis,  when  he  thought  that 
no  one  could  see  him,  that  his  eye  had 
witnessed  the  dreadful  sin  of  which  he 
had  been  guilty. 

"  Oh,  dear !  "  he  exclaimed,  beginning 
to  cry,  "  I'm  so  sorry.  I  wish  I  had 
thought  quicker.  Oh!  what  shall  I 
do?" 

All  this  time,  Kover  stood  looking  in 
his  face  very  soberly.     He  seemed  to 

(51) 


DAIST  DALE   STORIES. 


know  that  something  had  gone  wrong, 
and  that  his  young  master  was  sad. 
He  did  not  like  to  see  Jamie  cry ;  and 
so  he  wagged  his  tail,  and  caught  hold 
of  the  little  fellow's  sack,  trying  to 
say,— 

"  Can't  I  do  something  to  comfort 
you?" 

Presently  he  heard  a  voice  in  the 
distance  calling,  "  Jamie  !  Jamie ! " 

He  knew  it  was  mamma;  but  he 
dared  not  meet  her  eye,  and  so  he 
ran  away  as  fast  as  he  could  go. 

This  was  the  way  Adam  and  Eve 
did  when  they  had  sinned  in  eating  the 
forbidden  fruit.  They  heard  the  voice 
of  God  calling  to  them  in  the  garden ; 
and  they  went  and  hid  themselves. 

(52) 


wBmiw 


THE  NEW  SOCIETY. 


At  the  farther  end  of  the  garden 
was  an  orchard  of  apple  and  pear  trees, 
and,  beyond  this,  an  open  field  belong- 
ing to  a  neighbor,  who  did  not  care  to 
cultivate  it.  The  coarse  grass  grew  up 
in  the  summer,  and  died  off  in  the  fall 
when  the  frosts  came. 

Jamie  ran  on  through  the  orchard, 
picking  up  a  lost  battledoor  which  lay 
hidden  in  the  long  grass,  until  he  came 
to  this  open  field.  Here  he  sat  down 
to  think ;  and  Rover  sat  quietly  on  the 
ground  by  his  side. 

If  you  look  at  the  picture,  I  am  sure 
you  will  pity  poor  Jamie,  and  be  sorry 
that  his  wicked  heart  had  led  him  into 
sin. 

He  had  been  to  this  place  before ; 

(55) 


DAISY  DALE  STORIES. 


but  it  had  never  looked  so  desolate  as 
now.  The  tears  he  had  shed  when  he 
stood  by  the  apricot-tree  had  dried 
away  on  his  face ;  but,  as  he  sat  there 
so  still  at  the  foot  of  a  huge  oak,  they 
began  to  flow  again. 

"  I  wish  I  had  remembered  sooner," 
he  kept  saying  over  and  over ;  "  I  for- 
got that  God  was  there." 

Poor  Rover  began  to  lick  his  mas- 
ter's hand,  looking  wistfully  in  his  flice ; 
and  at  last  he  began  to  pull  his  sack, 
as  if  he  would  say, — 

"  We  have  stayed  here  long  enough. 
We  had  better  go  home." 

"  Yes,  yes,"  said  Jamie,  starting  from 
the  ground;  "I'll  go  home  and  tell 
mamma  all  about  it.     She  will  pray  to 

(5G) 


THE  NEW  SOCIETY. 


God  to  forgive  me  ;  and  then,  perhaps, 
I  shall  feel  happy  again." 

He  was  on  his  way  across  the  or- 
chard when  he  met  Gilson.  "  Your 
mamma  has  been  looking  everywhere 
for  you,  Master  Jamie,"  said  the  old 
man  kindly. 

"I'm  going  to  the  arbor  now,"  fal- 
tered the  child  in  an  humbje  tone. 

But  neither  in  the  arbor  nor  in  her 
own  chamber  could  mamma  be  found. 
At  last,  nurse  said  company  had  come, 
and  her  mistress  was  in  the  parlor  with 
the  ladies. 

Jamie  felt  as  if  he  could  not  wait. 
His  heart  ached  with  its  heavy  burden. 
He  wanted  to  lay  his  head  on  mamma's 
shoulder,  and  confess  his  disobedience. 

(57) 


DAISY  DALE   STORIES. 


He  felt  now  that  he  had  been  guilty, 
not  only  of  breaking  her  command 
never  to  touch  the  fruit,  but  he  had 
told  a  falsehood,  because  he  had  prom- 
ised he  would  obey. 

He  listened  and  listened  for  the  vis- 
itors to  leave  the  house,  and  drive  away 
in  the  carriage  which  was  waiting  at 
the  gate.  The  minutes  seemed  like 
hours.  At  last  he  grew  so  very  miser 
able  that  he  fell  down  on  his  knees, 
and  began  to  confess  his  sin  to  his  heav- 
enly Father.  He  was  so  earnest  in 
this,  that  he  did  not  hear  the  merry 
voices  in  the  hall  as  the  ladies  said 
u  Good-by,"  nor  his  mamma  coming  up 
the  stairs.  He  heard  nothing  until 
there  was  a  step  close  at  his  side  :  then 

(58) 


THE  NEW  SOCIETT. 


he  sprang  up,  and  threw  his .  arms 
about  mamma's  neck,  and  told  her 
all  he  had  done. 

My  young  reader,  what  do  you  think 
mamma  did  ?  Do  you  suppose  she 
pushed  him  away,- and  called  him  a 
wicked  boy,  and  said  she  never  would 
forgive  him  ?  No,  indeed  !  She  pressed 
him  to  her  heart,  and  wept  over  him, 
whispering  words  of  comfort  and  hope. 

She  reminded  him  that  God  loved 
penitent  children ;  that  he  has  prom- 
ised to  forgive  such  as  truly  repent  of 
their  sins.  When  Jamie  was  a  little 
more  calm,  she  knelt  with  him  by  his 
low  couch,  and  entreated  the  compas- 
sionate Saviour  to  have  mercy  upon 
her  dear  son ;  and  she  asked  the  gra- 

(59) 


DAISY  DALE   STORIES. 


cious  Spirit  to  help  him  resist  evil,  and, 
when  he  was  tempted,  to  remind  him 
of  the  words  he  had  learned,  — 
«  Thou,  God,  seest  me  ! " 

(60) 


THE  NEW  SOCIETY. 


Th£   kittle   Sunbeam* 

RANDPA  and  Ida  were 
looking  out  one  day  on  the 
sun  just  peeping  through 
the  clouds.     He  repeated  to 

jr  a  hymn.     Would  you  like  to  hear 

\ 

"  A  little  sunbeam  in  the  sky 

Said  to  itself  one  day, 
*  I'm  very  small ;  but  why  should  I 

Do  nothing  else  but  play  ? 
"  I'll  go  down  to  the  earth,  and  see 
If  there  is  any  use  for  me.' 

The  violet-beds  were  wet  with  dew, 

Which  filled  each  pretty  cup : 
The  little  sunbeam  darted  through, 

And  raised  their  blue  heads  up. 
(61) 


DAIST  DALE   STORIES. 


They  smiled  to  see  it ;  and  they  lent 
The  morning  breeze  their  sweetest  scent. 

A  mother,  'neath  a  shady  tree, 

Had  left  her  babe  asleep  : 
It  woke  and  cried  ;  but,  when  it  spied 

The  little  sunbeam  peep 
So  slyly  in  with  glance  so  bright, 
It  laughed  and  chuckled  with  delight. 

On,  on,  it  went :  it  might  not  stay. 

Now  through  a  window  small, 
It  poured  its  glad  but  tiny  ray, 

And  danced  upon  the  wall. 
A  pale  young  face  looked  up  to  meet 
The  sunbeam  she  had  watched  to  greet. 

And  now  away  beyond  the  sea, 

The  merry  sunbeam  went : 
A  ship  ran  on  the  waters  free, 

From  home  and  country  sent. 
(62) 


THE  NEW  SOCIETT. 


But,  sparkling  in  the  sunbeam's  play, 
The  blue  waves  curled  around  her  way. 

But  there  was  one  that  watched  them  there, 
Whose  heart  was  full  of  pain  : 

She  gazed,  and  half  forgot  her  care, 
And  hope  came  back  again. 

She  said,  '  The  waves  are  full  of  glee, 

So  yet  there  may  be  joy  for  me.' 

And  so  it  travelled  to  and  fro, 
And  glanced  and  danced  about ; 

And  not  a  door  was  shut,  I  know, 
To  keep  that  sunbeam  out. 

But  ever,  as  it  touched  the  earth, 

It  woke  up  happiness  and  mirth. 

I  cannot  tell  the  history 

Of  all  that  it  could  do ; 
But  I  tell  this,  that  you  may  try 

To  be  a  sunbeam  too. 
(63) 


DAI  ST  DALE   STORIES. 


'  A  sunbeam  too ! '  perhaps  you  say. 
Yes  :  I  am  very  sure  you  may. 

For  loving  words,  like  sunbeams,  will 

Dry  up  a  falling  tear ; 
And  loving  deeds  will  often  help 

A  broken  heart  to  cheer. 
So  loving  and  so  living,  you 
Will  be  a  little  sunbeam  too." 
(64) 


